Tk 340m allocated for flood-affected upazilas

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Adviser for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock and Environment and Forest Ministry CS Karim Friday said he is thinking of submitting his wealth statement to the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC), reports UNB.
He said this to the reporters while going out after addressing the inaugural ceremony of a six-day workshop on 'Journalist on English Communication' at Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC) auditorium at the city's Farmgate.
Jointly organised by the Commonwealth Culture Society of Bangladesh (CCSB) and Reporters Against Corruption (RAC), the working sessions of the workshop will be held every Friday and Saturday at the Dhaka Reporters Unity till September 2.
Aktel, a leading cell phone operator in the country, has sponsored the workshop.
About the government plan for flood victims, Karim said seeds, saplings and other inputs would be provided to the flood-affected farmers for their rehabilitation.
"We'll try to distribute fodder and fish fry produced by the government organisations to the affected people so that they can again run their business."
He said that they are conducting survey at the upazila level to collect data on flood damages. The government has already allocated Tk 340 million (34 crore) for the flood-affected upazilas, he said, adding: "We will increase the allocation as needed."
Addressing the workshop as chief guest, the Adviser termed the journalists as fighters, saying that journalists always fight for what is right and often have to take risk in projecting the truth to the people.
Appreciating the media's role on bird flu, he said that when the incidence of bird flu was found in the country, "we were desperate as to how we would make people aware about it. But the media made it very easy for us."
Speaking as special guest, Aktel head of corporate affairs Javed Tariq said such workshops definitely increase the professional skill of the journalists. "We feel proud to be here as sponsors," he said.
Among others, CCSB president and Associate Editor of the News Today ASMA Khalique, RAC president and senior reporter of The New Age Shahiduzzaman and Deputy Chief News Editor of UNB Moslem Uddin Ahmed were present on the occasion.